The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cordyline plant, botanically known as Cordyline australis, and further known by the varietal name ‘Charlie Boy.’ The new cultivar was collected from a batch of nursery seedlings cultivated through open pollination of various Cordyline australis by the inventor, Graeme Charles Richards, in Lincolnshire, England. The parental cultivar is believed to be a combination of Cordyline australis. The cultivar has been asexually reproduced via tissue culture reproduction occurring in 2003 in Lincolnshire, England. Seedlings grown from the parental cultivar seeds were planted out and plants with desirable ornamental characteristics were selected. The cultivar was discovered as a naturally occurring whole plant mutation in a commercial planting of the Cordyline australis variety, where the parent plants have un-variegated green foliage. The new cultivar is distinguished from other Cordylines by its variegated leaves with cerise red edges on a brown background, and enhanced disease resistance. The first plants were weaned out in production testing in 2005 and second generations were weaned in 2006. Continued observation of future generations through asexual reproduction via tissue culture in Lincolnshire, England have confirmed that the distinguishing features of this new cultivar remain true, stable and continuous through successive propagation.
The closest comparator to ‘Charlie Boy’ known to applicant is Cordyline australis ‘Red Sensation’ (unpatented) which is an erect plant with red/brown foliage. Cordyline australis ‘Charlie Boy’ has cerise pink uniform leaf margins and a hardier constitution for cold and other environmental conditions, different variegation and more vigorous, stronger rooting habit.